Cuisine

TL;DR

Oysters

The vibe

The crowd

The drinks

The food

Our Review

Tell us about your first impressions when you arrived.You're not on the docks—it just looks like it. Those who spend their days combing design mags will appreciate this (fully rehabbed) warehouse-style resto, whose space was once filled by a metal fabricator. You can catch subtle nods to its last life in the form of mixed metals, a steel trellis, frosted bulbs, and subway tiling.

There are nautical touches, too—a nod to the seafood menu and the neighborhood's port history—that include a tentacle-shaped light fixture, and a wall of faux piranha heads. The marquee on the raw bar will give you a good laugh, too—it's marked with cheeky, seafood-themed puns (i.e. ""Down to shuck"").

What was the crowd like?Hipsters in Converse, ladies in Loubs—the gang's all here. Many are drawn in by the $1 oysters during weekday happy hour.

What should we be drinking?Ironside's owners (San Diego-based hospitality group CH Projects) are known for having the best cocktail game in town, and Ironside is no exception. Don't belittle it by calling it a drink menu, though—it's a full-on book, lined with classics, spirit-forward choices, sparkling tipples, amaro, absinthe, and rum, plus 11 categories of whiskey. Beer is California-brewed, and wines are available by the glass, half-bottle, and bottle.

Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss.There are only a few Michelin-starred chefs in San Diego, and Ironside gets to brag one of them: Jason McLeod, who earned two top marks while while working at Chicago's Ria. At Ironside, he presides over the raw bar and seafood menu, ensuring a shining selection of Kusshi oysters, and more gluttonous options, like a lobster roll dressed in brown butter mayo. Much of the catch comes from local fisherman, who receive their own shout-outs on the menu—sample it all with the $420 "Holy Shit" platter (with a name like that, you know it doesn't disappoint).

And how did the front-of-house folks treat you?Between the raw bar and seafood, the options can feel endless, and you might want (or need) the waiter's two cents in deciding. Thankfully, they're friendly and offer great suggestions.

What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here?Happy hour is lively (and a bargain)—but a space this Insta-glam also deserves the occasional birthday or anniversary reservation.